Crowds Flock to Busan's Bukhang Waterfront: "A Shark Giving Fan Service Every 5 Minutes" Turns Area Into a Buzzing Hotspot

Crowds Flock to See the Bluntnose Sixgill Shark for a Second Day
Nearby Cafe Owner Jokes, "I Want to Buy the Shark Some Mackerel"
Jeon Jae-su: "Please Visit Often... We Will Ensure Everyone's Safety"

A shark sighting in the waterway of Bukhang Waterfront Park in Busan has prompted authorities to urge caution, while turning the surrounding area into an unexpected "shark tourism hotspot."

Citizens gathered at Bukhang Waterfront Park to see sharks. Photo by Jeansu Jeon, Mayor of Busan, on social media (SNS).

On September 20, reports began circulating on various social media platforms that a shark had been spotted in the waterway of Bukhang Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan, drawing crowds of citizens hoping to catch a glimpse. Personal accounts and videos of the shark appeared online in quick succession. Visitors ranged from families with young children to photography enthusiasts carrying high-powered "telephoto cameras," all waiting along the waterway for the shark to surface.

One user shared, "I traveled from Daegu to Busan for a day trip just to see the shark," along with a video they filmed. Other users commented, "The superstar shark comes near every 5 to 10 minutes and gives fanservice by swishing its tail," and "Why isn't it leaving? It seems to enjoy the attention." On SNS, people also provided real-time updates, sharing that "the shark is still here" and posting its current location.

A 3 to 4-meter-long whale shark is swimming in the waterway of the Bukhang Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan. Thread capture

As a result, nearby businesses enjoyed what some have dubbed a "shark special boom." After one citizen posted that it took 40 minutes to receive a drink order at a café, the café owner replied, "We're sorry to customers who never received or gave up on their drinks," and added humorously, "I feel like buying a few boxes of mackerel for the shark."

With the numbers of visitors growing, Jeansu Jeon, the Mayor of Busan, also began to promote the city. On his social media the previous day, he commented, "Due to climate change, there are now more warm-water fish in Bukhang, so it is believed the shark came here in search of food. We anticipate that shark sightings in the Bukhang area will continue to be frequent," urging people to be careful.

A 3 to 4-meter long sand tiger shark is swimming in the waterway of the Bukhang Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan. Thread capture.

Still, he added, "On the bright side, this is evidence that the ecosystem of Bukhang Waterfront Park is healthy. I encourage citizens to visit and enjoy Bukhang, which will become the future of 'Marine Capital Busan.' We will ensure everyone's safety."

Meanwhile, according to the Busan city government and other sources, a 3 to 4-meter-long shark was first spotted on the morning of September 18 at around 9 a.m. in the waterway of Bukhang Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan. Another sighting was reported the following day at 1:05 p.m. The sharks are believed to be sand tiger sharks, which belong to the family Odontaspididae, but it could not be confirmed whether the two sightings involved the same individual. The Coast Guard initially attempted to guide the shark out to sea, but on the advice of related agencies that the shark might become aggressive in the process, they are now simply observing and allowing it to return to the ocean naturally.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.